Bathing-boat.



WITNESSES Patented Jan, 17, 191-1,

ATTORNEYS rut NORRIS mwzns co., WASHINGTON, D. c,

M. CLUFPORD.

BATHING BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1909.

Patented Jan. 17,1911.

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MORRELL JOHN UFFORD, OF AMENIA, NORTH DAKOTA.

BATI-IIN G-BOAT Application filed March 30, 1909.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORRELL J.Ur1"oRD, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Amenia, in the county of Cass and State of NorthDakota, have invented a new and Improved Bathing-Boat, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to boats used for bathing purposes, and itspurpose is to provide a boat of the character indicated, havin g novelfeatures of construction that enable its convenient and safe use as asailing or row boat, and further, that adapt the boat for use as a floatwhile bathing, by either sex, affording safety and privacy for femaleswhile bathing in the open air, without necessitating the wearing ofbathing suits.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts, as is hereinafter described and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved boat arranged for thefloatage and transportation of occupants; Fig. 2 is a perspective view,showing the boat arranged for use by females as a bathing booth; Fig. 3is an enlarged partly sectional side view of the boat, showing in fulllines the parts adjusted for the flotation of the boat and showing indotted lines the boat as stationed and immersed; Fig. 1 is an enlargedvertical, sectional view on the line lf-4c in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is ahorizontal, sectional View, substantially on the line 55 in Fig. 1; andFig. 6 is a transverse, sectional view of portions of the boat, showingthe relative positions of details when the hull of the boat is invertedfor use as a buoy for swimmers.

The hull 10 of the boat is preferably formed of thin plate metal, suchas galvanized sheet iron, and with advantage may be givensemi-cylindrical form in cross section, as shown in Fig. 6, said hullhaving a suitable length that is proportioned to the carrying capacityit is to have.

A substantial floor 11, formed of wooden boards, is fitted and securedas a false bottom within the hull 10, and at each end of the latter atransverse end wall 12 is secured.

Two similar air and water tight end sections Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Jan. 17, 1911.

Serial No. 486,760. a

13 are provided, these preferably having conlcal shape, said hollowsections which are formed of thin plate metal, having at their largestends 13 a diameter defined by a radius of an equal length with that ofthe semi-circular end walls 12. Longitudinally through the center ofeach conical chamber or section 18, a shaft 14 is extended, havingair-tight but rockable engagement with journal boxes at, as shown at theleft in Fig. 3.

A sleeve 14 is formed on the end of each shaft 14, that is adjacent to arespective end wall 13*, said sleeves being each disposed at a rightangle to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 1 1, whereon it is formed orsecured, and as shown in Fig. 3, the lower ends of the sleeves 141- arelocated near to but below the bottom of the hull 10.

A connecting bar 15 that is preferably formed of a cylindrical metalrod, is rockably connected with the bottom of the hull 10, by aplurality of clip bands 5 and at each end of the connecting bar a guidearm 15 is formed or secured, these guide arms being arranged at rightangles with the bar they project from, in the same plane and direction.The guide arms 15 are slidably inserted within the sleeves 14: andextend upwardly therethrough, and upon the upper end of each arm a proppost 15? is hinged, as shown at 0 in Fig. 3.

The sleeves 14 are each formed with a lateral hollow extension 1 1wherein is housed a flexible connection preferably in the form of achain 16, the normally lower end of which is secured to a respectiveguide arm 15 near the corresponding end thereof.

The chains 16 extend from the upper ends of the sleeves 14 and areaflorded suflicient length to hang pendent near the floor of the hull,and may each terminate in a knob d having such size as will prevent thechain ends from being drawn down into the tubular formations 1 1". Astay chain 17 is provided as a complementary flexible connection foreach chain 16, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the ends of each chain 17are secured upon the sides of the hull 10, near the gunw'ales thereof.

When the boat is to be used for the transportation of passengers, thehull 10 must. be supported in raised adjustment, as shown in Figs. 1 and3; to this end the connecting bar 15 is raised along with the guide arms15 thereon, so that the prop posts 15 extend upward to the top edges ofthe end walls 18 of the conical sections 13. The upper ends of the posts15 arenotched, and in said notches e the bights of the chains 17 areseated, which will dispose the latter in taut condition, and the ends ofthe hull 1O equally raised and supported on the end sections 13.

If the boat is to be employed as a floating buoy which swimmers mayreadily seat upon and dive from, the chains 17 are released from theposts 15 the latter are folded down and the connecting bar 15, tog-etherwith its guide arms 15, is downwardly ad justed, as shown by dottedlines in Fig. 3. This adjustment will draw the pendent portions of thechains 16 to the upper ends of the sleeves 1 1 and permit the inversionof the hull 10, that will then appear as shown in Fig. 6, the guidesleeves and connecting bar then being elevated, as shown in said view,and as the hull will float with its bottom near the surface of thewater, it affords a convenient platform for the use of bathers to reston or dive from.

In Fi 1, the boat is shown provided with a slidab e seat 18 that may bea frame covered with stout canvas, or stout netted fabric,and oars 18are shown as a means for the control and movement of the boat. It is tobe understood, however, that any other preferred means may be employedfor the purposes named. To adapt the boat for the use of women andgirls, provision is afforded for the erection of a four-walledopentopped booth over the hull, this feature appearing in Fig. 2. Tothis end, thin strong standards 19 are removably erected upon the boathull 10 by securing clips thereon along the sides at suitable intervals,and inserting the lower ends of the standards downwardly therethrough,thus arranging the standards vertically and properly spaced apart forthe reception of a fibrous covering.

A preferably single web of coarse strong canvas 20 is provided forservice as a side wall for the booth, this fibrous web. being wrappedaround the rectangular frame provided by the erection of the standardsv19, from the sides of the boat hull, as explained. The width of thecanvas web is suitably in-. creased, by the attachment thereto at oneside edge, of a sheet of wire woven fabric 21, having equal length withthe canvas web. The combined width of the canvas 20 and the wire wovenfabric 21 is such that they together will produce a side wall for thebooth, that will cover the standards 19. The length of the describedcoverings 20, 21

is such that when said material is smoothly mounted upon the standards19, the ends thereof will nearly meet and may be drawn together by astout lacing g, as shown in Fig. 2.

The wire woven sheet 21 is disposed adjawater-tight by a plug 2'.

l/Vh'en the boat is arranged for use by females as a bath house, thehull is positioned in the stream of water at a point where the bottom islevel, and deep enough to rise above the gunwales of the hull when thebathers are ready to occupy said hull. The plug 2' is now removed, whichwillj'permit water to enter the hull, and submerge it, and likewise passfreely through the wire woven fabric 21, which is close enough in itsmesh to screen the occupants of the boat from the observation of outsideparties.

It will be noted that, while the boathull may now be rocked, theair-tight end sections. 13 and the metal connecting bar 15, by itsweight, prevent the boat from capsizing; further, as there is nocovering for the booth, sunlight and air will enter the in closure, andall the advantages of outdoor bathing may be enjoyed, and the bathers,who may be nude, will be screened from the observation of the public.

On the outer ends of each of the rockable shafts 1 1, an enlargement orcollar m is se cured, and upon one of said collars a depending end of abracket arm is secured, said arm comprising a metal rod bent at 0providing an elongated arm 22 on which, at its rear end, a downwardlyprojecting member 22 is formed, which at its lower end, is attached tothe collar m. On the forward end of the bracket arm 22, an arm 22 iscentrally secured. On the arm 22 a waterproof pliable jacket or envelop2,3. is secured, so that it may be folded up as shown in Fig. 1, or maybe unfolded and hang down as shown in Fig. 3. The arm 22 projects intothe booth formed by the canvas walls 20, thus adapting the envelop 23 toserve as a covering for garments removed from the persons occupying thebooth, who may thus incase their apparel and protect the same fromgetting wet, the package when wrapped, being secured on the arm 22 bystraps and buckles, as appears at 79 in Fig. 1.

When the use of the device as a bath house for women is not required,the fibrous and wire woven web is removed from the standards 19, and thelatter are also detached from the sides of the hull 10. The standards19, and the fibrous and wire woven materials 20,21 are now mounted onthe bracket arm 22 by wrapping the material 20, 21 around the standardsand binding them. upon the bracket arm, the bundle being completed bypassing tie strings 7 about the canvas roll at different points, andtying said strings as shown in Fig. 1. The envelop 23 is now wrappedupon the transversely disposed arm 22 and secured thereon by anadjustment of the straps p. The plug 2' is replaced in the opening inthe side of the hull 10, and the boat rendered fioatable by a removal ofwater from within the hull.

It should be explained that the seat 18 is held in place by clips 9 ateach end thereof, which hook upon a ledge strip 3 that is secured to thefree edges of the boat hull, so that the seat may be readily moved fromend to end of the boat body 10, but will not be detached if the boat isrocked so as to invert the hull.

In further explanation of the boat when used as a buoy, it will beunderstood that the inverted hull may be readily reversed so as to giveit normal position, by simply taking hold of the edge of the hull andpull ing upon it, which will rock the hull on the connecting bar 15,which will reverse the hull so as to dispose its open side uppermost.The chains 17 are now stretched taut and their bights seated in thenotches e in the upper ends of the posts 15 which will secure the hullin the normal position indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. The plug 2', if ithad been removed from the opening in the hull, must now be insertedtherein and the hull bailed out, or a pump may be utilized for removalof water from the hull.

WVhile the preferred use of the boat hereinbefore described, is forbathing purposes, it is manifest that it can be readily supplied with amast by an upward extension of one of the posts 15 and that a sail maybe carried by the mast for propulsion of the boat. The provision of theair-tight conical sections 13, which serve to support the hull in alarge degree, render the boat safe, and prevent danger of capsizing, ifsubjected to a storm while in service .as a transport for passengers.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A boat embodying a hull, and conical end sect-ions between which thehull is pivoted to swing into an inverted position.

2. A boat embodying a hull having parallel end walls, and coniformhollow end sections between which the hull is slidably and pivotallymounted.

A boat, embodying a hull having parallel end walls, hollow coniform endsections, and means for rockably securing the end sections on the hullat its ends.

l. A boat, embodying a hull formed of plate metal and havingsemicircular form in cross section, flat parallel end walls on the endsof the hull, coniform end sections,

and means for securing said end sect-ions adjacent to the end walls ofthe hull so that said hull may be rocked on the end sections and haveits bottom inverted.

5. In a boat of the character described, the

combination with a semicircularly-bodied' hull, flat end walls on saidhull and two similar hollow coniform end sections therefor, of a centralshaft rotatably secured in each end section, a sleeve depending at aright angle from each shaft at the end adjacent to an end wall of thehull, a connecting bar, upright guide arms on the ends of the connectingbar and slidable in the sleeves, and chains or the like adapted forholding the uide arms raised or lowered in the sleeves. 6. In a boat ofthe character described, the combination with a semicircularly-bodiedhull, flat parallel end walls on said hull, and two similar hollowconiform end sections therefor, of a central shaft rotatably secured ineach end section extending axially therethrough, a sleeve depending at aright angle from each shaft at the end adjacent to an end wall of thehull, a connecting bar clipped upon the bottom of the hull at itstransverse center, a guide arm on each end of the connecting barslidable in a respective sleeve, a post extended from the upper end ofeach guide arm, and chains adapted for detachable engagement with theupper ends of said posts.

7. In a boat of the character described, the combination with a hullhaving flat end walls, and air-tight coniform end sections on the endsof said hull, of a removable booth erected over the hull, the walls ofsaid booth being formed of pliable fabric.

8. In a boat of the character described, the combination with a hullhaving flat parallel end walls, and two similar hollow air-tight,floatable end sections removably secured 011 the ends of the hull, of aplurality of standards detachably secured upright on the side walls ofthe hull, and a boot-h comprising a web of fibrous fabric, and asupplementary web of wire woven fabric secured edgewise on the fibrousfabric, the joined fabrics forming side walls of the booth, and meansfor securing the fabrics smoothly wrapped on the erected standards.

9. A boat of the character described, comprising end sections, anintermediate section, and means for mounting the intermediate section,whereby it may be lowered below the end sections and inverted.

10. A boat of the character described, comprising end sections, and aslidably and pivotally mounted intermediate section.

11. A boat of the character described, comprising end sections, a memberconnecting the sections, and an intermediate section pivotally mountedon said member.

12. A boat of the character described, comprising end sections, a memberconnecti i Q L having arms at its ends Workmg 1n said guideways, postscarried by the arms, an 15 intermediate hull section carried by the saidmember, and flexible members secured to the hull section and engagingsaid post.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of 20 two subscribing Witnesses.

MORRELL JOHN UFFORD.

l/Vitnesses:

ELMER CLAY, JAMES R. FOWLER.

